Parks
Current Updates
Maps showing the proposed locations of play areas: Site A Site B
Read the NEGP, Glebe Report article here...
City Parks Lighting Policy here...
Proposed belvedere designs here...
Read the NEGP report to the GCA here...
Read the NEQ Tot-lot Feasibility review here...
Read the Park Security - WISE Report here...
Read the November 29 minutes here...
Cash in Lieu proposal...
Bank St. reconstruction questions and answers...
Read the November minutes here...
Read the update on the Central Park belvedere here...
Read the CEPTED review of Central Park here...
Recent Activities
The first meeting of the NE Glebe Parks Committee will be held November 9, 7:00 - 9:00 PM at 204 Patterson Ave, in the absence of any space at the GCC.
We've heard from a small but wonderful band of people who indicated they're able to help on this committee. If you want to join them, great! Please send a note to neglebeparks@glebeca.ca, ahead of time so a chair will be ready.
The draft agenda, below, can be adjusted at the meeting. I look forward to seeing you all.
Elizabeth Ballard,
NE Glebe Parks Chair
237-7692
NE Glebe Parks Meeting November 9, 2010
Draft Agenda
- Welcome & Introductions
- Role of GCA Committees –- Decision making, info exchange, postings
- NE Glebe Parks Mandate
- NE Glebe Tot Lot for a play structure
- Central Park Tot/Young Families Play Area
- Central Park Security
- Funding Envelopes?
- CIL Funding
- Bylaw: 60/40 split for Upgrades to existing parks / Land Acquisition
- Policy final draft end Oct, 2010 (re: the 60%?)
- Safety & Security
- Lifecycle upgrades
- Central Park ongoing maintenance
- Updates, opportunities, constraints
- City TORs: Preserve, Conserve, Restore, Renew?
- Work Plan
- Identify community resources
- Funding
- Committee organization?
Initial Post
This post addresses:
- Results of recent meetings on Oct 21, 24 and 26.
- GCA commitments on where preschooler 'play structures' and 'landscaped play areas' respectively can and cannot be located in the NEQ
- Notice of a new GCA residents' committee to address park issues in the NEQ
The City's Oct 21 presentation of findings from their feasibility study identified both possibilities and questions. As the GCA Environment Committee reported:
City staff presented the initial findings on the North East quadrant preschool play structure feasibility study on October 21st at GCC. There was a lively discussion about the potential sites presented by the project consultants hired by the City. Potential sites examined were located both in park areas and on vacant commercial land. The first choice of the consultants was the southwest side of Central Park east of Bank Street. A number of concerns were raised by nearby residents about this site including its use as a "dry pond" for storm water overflow and security issues. Several residents suggested First Avenue School as an alternative since it already has play structures and is located in the quadrant. The issues raised at the meeting will be examined by the consultants and City staff and incorporated into the feasibility study.
October 24: The City's presentation served as a useful basis for a smaller, very productive get together few days later, generously hosted by Sandy & Rod Bryden. At that October 24 gathering, two GCA representatives (Virginia Carver, Environment Committee Chair, and I, Elizabeth Ballard, general factotum) met with a group of 8 residents representing a range of viewpoints to seek creative solutions to differing perspectives on a preschool play area.
A short 2.5 hours later, after a delightfully articulate, thoughtful and courteous airing of views, we agreed to:
- Search for a NE Quadrant preschool play structure site that is seen by that user group to be at a safe and accessible location. No play structure of slides, swings, or other traditional design (neither plastic or wood) will be located in the Central Park East/Clemow Ave/Central Park Pond areas.
- Work to improve Central Park East security and its multi-generational, multi-functional use. This includes improving Central Park safety through landscaping, sightline improvement, improved lighting and patrolling (to prevent drinking, drug and overnight use), and any other means. It also includes creating an artfully landscaped, safe and creative play area for young families that will be attractive for seated socializing without competing negatively with other existing, socially sanctioned park uses --from dog owners to frisbee players to occasional outdoor exhibitions-- while still meeting the environmental dry pond demands and historic spirit of the park.
Clearly there are lots of details to be worked out, and much more information is needed from the city, but there's a determination for us all to listen respectfully, and engage our diverse interests in a creative planning process.
To facilitate this, at the October 26 Meeting, the GCA agreed that a NE Glebe Parks Committee of residents be established to work with the City staff to ensure the goals mentioned above and the issues raised at the Oct 21 meeting are incorporated into the City's feasibility study and the City's park life cycle planning and to help devise solutions to these various needs.
For better or worse, I'm assigned to lead this, helping to coordinate things and ensuring ideas come back to the GCA so this work can be effectively harmonized with other related GCA projects, such as the reconstruction of Bank Street and other efforts to upgrade security at Central Park. And of course, so the GCA can see how resourceful and exemplary the Glebe's NEQ is.
NEQ Parks Committee Membership
There's a bit of a core group that has begun productive discussions, and which I hope might continue, but while smaller groups can be easier to work with, I want to be sure that we're capturing the concerns and good ideas of all the residents who are interested in this. Please let me know if you have suggestions or issues that you think have not been noted above, or if you have some time you'd be able to spend working on solutions.
I thought we might have a next meeting in the 2nd week of November. Please let me know if you are interested and I'll try to figure out the logistics.
Circulation
Hopefully people who have concerns or ideas
will get back to me directly. I'm happy to set up a list of people who want to be
actively involved in these discussions. Please let me know if you want to be part of that.
To facilitate communication, an email address, parks@glebeca.ca has been created.
I will be actively be monitoring this mailbox.
Thanks again to everyone for your contributions to date.
It's all been important and we've made some real progress as a result of lots of good will.
I look forward to your further advice in framing a workplan and coming up with proposals that
will work brilliantly for the entire community.
Elizabeth